Review-A-Day

"...Fine is an amiable and self-deprecating storyteller in the mold of, say, Douglas Adams....If you're a fan of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy-style humor — and also looking to find out how to raise your own livestock to feed your ice-cream fetish — Farewell may prove a vital tool." Lydia Millet, Washington Post Book World (read the entire Washington Post Book World review)

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Like many Americans, Doug Fine enjoys his creature comforts, but he also knows full well they keep him addicted to oil. So he wonders: Is it possible to keep his Netflix and his car, his Wi-Fi and his subwoofers, and still reduce his carbon footprint?

In an attempt to find out, Fine up and moves to a remote ranch in New Mexico, where he brazenly vows to grow his own food, use sunlight to power his world, and drive on restaurant grease. Never mind that he's never raised so much as a chicken or a bean. Or that he has no mechanical or electrical skills.

Whether installing Japanese solar panels, defending the goats he found on Craigslist against coyotes, or co-opting waste oil from the local Chinese restaurant to try and fill the new "veggie oil" tank in his ROAT (short for Ridiculously Oversized American Truck), Fine's extraordinary undertaking makes one thing clear: It ain't easy being green. In fact, his journey uncovers a slew of surprising facts about alternative energy, organic and locally grown food, and climate change.

Both a hilarious romp and an inspiring call to action, Farewell, My Subaru makes a profound statement about trading today's instant gratifications for a deeper, more enduring kind of satisfaction.

Review:

"This is Green Acres for the smart set — a witty and educational look at sustainable living. Buy it, read it, compost it." A. J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically

Review:

"The details of Doug Fine's experiment in green living are great fun — but more important is the spirit, the dawning understanding that living in connection to something more tangible than a computer mouse is what we were built for. It'll make you want to move!" Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future

Review:

"[An] antic and engaging account of one man's giant step toward a smaller carbon footprint....Changing the way we live is not a single decision but a learning process, and Farewell, My Subaru makes clear that process can be a challenge — and a hoot." St. Petersburg Times

Review:

"Fine's funny struggle to become a better world citizen will entertain both the eco-aware, and those who doze peacefully in their home's formaldehyde fumes." Bookpage

Synopsis:

NPR's Rural Guy vows to give up modern conveniences to move to a ranch in New Mexico where he'll grown all his own food — never mind that he has no practical experience or mechanical skills. This is both a hilarious account and an inspiring call to action for anyone who wants to live greener.

Synopsis:

Inspired by Thoreau, Ilgunas set out on a Spartan path to pay off $32,000 in undergraduate student loans by scrubbing toilets and making beds in Coldfoot, Alaska. Determined to graduate debt-free after enrolling in graduate school, he lived in an Econoline van in a campus parking lot, saving&#8212;and learning&#8212;much about the cost of education today.

Synopsis:

In this frank and witty memoir, Ken Ilgunas lays bare the existential terror of graduating from the University of Buffalo with $32,000 of student debt. Ilgunas set himself an ambitious mission: get out of debt as quickly as possible. Inspired by the frugality and philosophy of Henry David Thoreau, Ilgunas undertook a 3-year transcontinental jour ney, working in Alaska as a tour guide, garbage picker, and night cook to pay off his student loans before hitchhiking home to New York.

Debt-free, Ilgunas then enrolled in a masters program at Duke University, determined not to borrow against his future again. He used the last of his savings to buy himself a used Econoline van and outfitted it as his new dorm. The van, stationed in a campus parking lot, would be more than an adventure&#8212;it would be his very own “Walden on Wheels.”

Freezing winters, near-discovery by campus police, and the constant challenge of living in a confined space would test Ilgunass limits and resolve in the two years that fol lowed. What had begun as a simple mission would become an enlightening and life-changing social experiment. Walden on Wheels offers a spirited and pointed perspective on the dilemma faced by those who seek an education but who also want to, as Thoreau wrote, “live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.”

Synopsis:

Advance praise for Farewell, My Subaru

“Fine is Bryson Funny.” Santa Cruz Sentinel

“Fine is an amiable and self-deprecating storyteller in the mold of Douglas Adams. If you're a fan of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy-style humor — and also looking to find out how to raise your own livestock to feed your ice-cream fetish — Farewell may prove a vital tool.” The Washington Post

“The details of Doug Fines experiment in green living are great funbut more important is the spirit, the dawning understanding that living in connection to something more tangible than a computer mouse is what we were built for. Itll make you want to move!”

–Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future

Like many Americans, Doug Fine enjoys his creature comforts, but he also knows full well they keep him addicted to oil. So he wonders: Is it possible to keep his Netflix and his car, his Wi-Fi and his subwoofers, and stillreduce his carbon footprint?

In an attempt to find out, Fine up and moves to a remote ranch in New Mexico, where he brazenly vows to grow his own food, use sunlight to power his world, and drive on restaurant grease. Never mind that hes never raised so much as a chicken or a bean. Or that he has no mechanical or electrical skills.

Whether installing Japanese solar panels, defending the goats he found on Craigslist against coyotes, or co-opting waste oil from the local Chinese restaurant to try and fill the new “veggie oil” tank in his ROAT (short for Ridiculously Oversized American Truck), Fines extraordinary undertaking makes one thing clear: It aint easy being green. In fact, his journey uncovers a slew of surprising facts about alternative energy, organic and locally grown food, and climate change.

Both a hilarious romp and an inspiring call to action, Farewell, My Subaru makes a profound statement about trading todays instant gratifications for a deeper, more enduring kind of satisfaction.

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About the Author

What Our Readers Are Saying

Average customer rating based on 2 comments:

i8pixistix, August 28, 2009 (view all comments by i8pixistix)
A funny and accessible story about one man's attempt to get off the grid. Doug Fine, with his wit and humour, tells of his adventure to go green in such a way that almost anyone can relate and not be intimidated or overwhelmed. No matter how big or small, he encourages us all to try.

Cathy from Olympia, Washington, July 16, 2008 (view all comments by Cathy from Olympia, Washington)
A humorous memoir of East-coast suburbanite Doug Fine of his life-changing efforts to significantly reduce his carbon footprint while still enjoying "lifes' necessities" such as Wi-Fi, Netflix, and ice cream. Doug's resolve is quickly tried as he becomes stranded at his ranch for 43 days with his two young milk goats (purchased for their premium-ice-cream-producing potential), one of whom becomes seriously ill. But Doug "digs in," and through trial and (many) errors and monetary expenditures, Doug begins on his journey to self-suffiency. Sprinkled throughout the the book are relevant factoids such as "The average tomato travels fifteen hundred miles from the field to the table," along with the occasional recipe. The book was a quick and enjoyable read. Highly recommended.

Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No(7 of 9 readers found this comment helpful)

"Review A Day"
by Lydia Millet, Washington Post Book World,
"...Fine is an amiable and self-deprecating storyteller in the mold of, say, Douglas Adams....If you're a fan of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy-style humor — and also looking to find out how to raise your own livestock to feed your ice-cream fetish — Farewell may prove a vital tool." (read the entire Washington Post Book World review)

"Review"
by A. J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically,
"This is Green Acres for the smart set — a witty and educational look at sustainable living. Buy it, read it, compost it."

"Review"
by Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future,
"The details of Doug Fine's experiment in green living are great fun — but more important is the spirit, the dawning understanding that living in connection to something more tangible than a computer mouse is what we were built for. It'll make you want to move!"

"Review"
by St. Petersburg Times,
"[An] antic and engaging account of one man's giant step toward a smaller carbon footprint....Changing the way we live is not a single decision but a learning process, and Farewell, My Subaru makes clear that process can be a challenge — and a hoot."

"Review"
by Bookpage,
"Fine's funny struggle to become a better world citizen will entertain both the eco-aware, and those who doze peacefully in their home's formaldehyde fumes."

"Synopsis"
by Ingram,
NPR's Rural Guy vows to give up modern conveniences to move to a ranch in New Mexico where he'll grown all his own food — never mind that he has no practical experience or mechanical skills. This is both a hilarious account and an inspiring call to action for anyone who wants to live greener.

"Synopsis"
by Firebrand,
Inspired by Thoreau, Ilgunas set out on a Spartan path to pay off $32,000 in undergraduate student loans by scrubbing toilets and making beds in Coldfoot, Alaska. Determined to graduate debt-free after enrolling in graduate school, he lived in an Econoline van in a campus parking lot, saving&#8212;and learning&#8212;much about the cost of education today.

"Synopsis"
by Firebrand,
In this frank and witty memoir, Ken Ilgunas lays bare the existential terror of graduating from the University of Buffalo with $32,000 of student debt. Ilgunas set himself an ambitious mission: get out of debt as quickly as possible. Inspired by the frugality and philosophy of Henry David Thoreau, Ilgunas undertook a 3-year transcontinental jour ney, working in Alaska as a tour guide, garbage picker, and night cook to pay off his student loans before hitchhiking home to New York.

Debt-free, Ilgunas then enrolled in a masters program at Duke University, determined not to borrow against his future again. He used the last of his savings to buy himself a used Econoline van and outfitted it as his new dorm. The van, stationed in a campus parking lot, would be more than an adventure&#8212;it would be his very own “Walden on Wheels.”

Freezing winters, near-discovery by campus police, and the constant challenge of living in a confined space would test Ilgunass limits and resolve in the two years that fol lowed. What had begun as a simple mission would become an enlightening and life-changing social experiment. Walden on Wheels offers a spirited and pointed perspective on the dilemma faced by those who seek an education but who also want to, as Thoreau wrote, “live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.”

"Synopsis"
by Random,
Advance praise for Farewell, My Subaru

“Fine is Bryson Funny.” Santa Cruz Sentinel

“Fine is an amiable and self-deprecating storyteller in the mold of Douglas Adams. If you're a fan of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy-style humor — and also looking to find out how to raise your own livestock to feed your ice-cream fetish — Farewell may prove a vital tool.” The Washington Post

“The details of Doug Fines experiment in green living are great funbut more important is the spirit, the dawning understanding that living in connection to something more tangible than a computer mouse is what we were built for. Itll make you want to move!”

–Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future

Like many Americans, Doug Fine enjoys his creature comforts, but he also knows full well they keep him addicted to oil. So he wonders: Is it possible to keep his Netflix and his car, his Wi-Fi and his subwoofers, and stillreduce his carbon footprint?

In an attempt to find out, Fine up and moves to a remote ranch in New Mexico, where he brazenly vows to grow his own food, use sunlight to power his world, and drive on restaurant grease. Never mind that hes never raised so much as a chicken or a bean. Or that he has no mechanical or electrical skills.

Whether installing Japanese solar panels, defending the goats he found on Craigslist against coyotes, or co-opting waste oil from the local Chinese restaurant to try and fill the new “veggie oil” tank in his ROAT (short for Ridiculously Oversized American Truck), Fines extraordinary undertaking makes one thing clear: It aint easy being green. In fact, his journey uncovers a slew of surprising facts about alternative energy, organic and locally grown food, and climate change.

Both a hilarious romp and an inspiring call to action, Farewell, My Subaru makes a profound statement about trading todays instant gratifications for a deeper, more enduring kind of satisfaction.

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